mess dress Original U.S. WWII USAAF Major Dress Mess Formal Uniform – International Military Antiques

mess dress Original U.S. WWII USAAF Major Dress Mess Formal Uniform – International Military AntiquesOriginal Item: Only One Available. This formal attire is known in the United States military as a "Mess Dress" uniform. This example is not named or identified but was for a rank of Major that served in United States Army Air Force during World War Two. The uniform itself appears to be post war manufactured (1950s). It features: Bullion embroidered Major rank epaulets should boards Bullion embroidered Aviator Pilot wings. Miniature Distinguished Fly

Original Item: Only One Available. This formal attire is known in the United States military as a "Mess Dress" uniform. This example is not named or identified but was for a rank of Major that served in United States Army Air Force during World War Two. The uniform itself appears to be post war manufactured (1950s). It features:

- Bullion embroidered Major rank epaulets should boards

- Bullion embroidered Aviator Pilot wings.

- Miniature Distinguished Fly Cross DFC Medal.

- Miniature Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

- Miniature American Campaign Medal.

- Miniature Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

- Miniature European-African-Middle East Campaign with 5 battle stars.

- Miniature WWII Victory Medal.

- Miniature National Defence Service Medal.

- Tailor label from CAREY of Baltimore.

- Matching trousers

Jacket size is approximately a US 42 and overall in excellent condition!

Mess dress uniform is the semi-formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for certain ceremonies, receptions, and celebrations, in messes or on private occasions. It frequently consists of a mess jacket, trousers, white dress shirt, often with standing collar and bow tie, along with orders and medals insignia. Design may depend on regiment or service branch, e.g. army, navy, air force, marines, etc. In Western dress codes, mess dress uniform is a permitted supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian black tie for evening wear or black lounge suit for day wear - sometimes collectively called half dress - although military uniforms are the same for day and evening wear. As such, mess dress uniform is considered less formal than full dress uniform, but more formal than service dress uniform.

Prior to World War II, this style of military uniform was largely restricted to the British and United States Armed Forces, although the French, German, Swedish and other navies had adopted their own versions of mess dress during the late 19th century, influenced by the British Royal Navy.

While mess dress uniform is predominantly worn at occations by commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers, it may also be worn as an optional uniform by some senior enlisted personnel. It is also sometimes worn by members of royal courts or certain civilian uniformed services.

Miniature medals are suspended on ribbons one half the width of their normal counterparts, and are worn on the left lapel. Exceptions to the miniature medals are the Medal of Honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (although the PMF also includes an optional miniature version), and authorized foreign neck-borne decorations (e.g., Knight Commander of Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of Military Merit, et al.) Individual and unit awards that consist of ribbons only are not worn on the mess uniform. Miniature versions of combat and special skill badges are worn above the miniature medals, along with miniature versions of Ranger and Special Forces shoulder tabs, made of enameled metal. Marksmanship and driver/mechanic badges are not worn on the mess uniform. Regimental distinctive insignia is worn on the right lapel. Identification badges worn on service uniform pockets, such as the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Presidential Service Badge, Recruiter Badge, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, et al., are worn between the top and middle buttons on the applicable side of the mess uniform.